Return to Theebine Hotel

ONE of Australia’s most recorded songwriters is taking a trip down memory lane which will bring him to the Theebine Hotel on Saturday.

Allan Caswell will be conducting a songwriting workshop from 10am-5pm and performing at the pub from 7-9pm.

This visit follows a two-day workshop in Theebine in May where Allan worked with other like-minded folk to produce some great work, one song being included on his new album.

It’s 50 years since Allan Caswell and his family arrived in Australia from England.

In that time Caswell has established a huge reputation as a singer/songwriter and almost legendary status in country music.

Now, Caswell’s plan is to go back to as many of the places he has played over the past 50 years as he can.

This is no easy task given that his performing career has taken him to virtually every town in NSW to every state of Australia, New Zealand, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, East Timor, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In half a decade, Caswell has has established a huge reputation as a singer/songwriter and almost legendary status in country music.

More than 600 of his songs have been released around the world by artists of the calibre of Cilla Black, Patti Page, The Irish Rovers, The Living End, Slim Dusty, Barry Humphries, Ricki May, James Blundell, Jasmine Rae, McAlister Kemp, Graeme Connors, The Wolfe Brothers, Anne Kirkpatrick, Chad Morgan, Lynne Hamilton, The Delltones, Jade Hurley and Ella Hooper.

Caswell has also built a big reputation as a writer of children’s songs as, among other projects, the cowriter and co-producer of the hugely successful Don Spencer albums.

In 1979 Caswell wrote the theme for the Australian television series Prisoner. On The Inside was a number 1 hit in Australia and New Zealand in 1979 and later reached number 3 in the UK and the Patti Page version made the country charts in the USA.

After the success of On The Inside he went full-time and has made a living writing and performing ever since. Recently, rising star Seleen McAlister took the song to Number 1 on the Australian Country charts.

A glittering career in Country Music in Australia has netted Caswell seven Golden Guitars from 31 finalist nominations.

He has also been awarded 10 songwriting Awards from the Tamworth Songwriters Association, including The Songmaker Award - a virtual Hall Of Fame for country songwriters.

He has won four awards at the Independent Country Music Awards (Southern Stars) including Album Of The Year for his last two albums.

Caswell is the go-to cowriter for many of Australia’s top country artists.

To book your place at Allan’s Theebine Hotel performance on Saturday, phone 5484 6182.